Mark Lynch knocked out a whole lot of important errands Wednesday morning.

Lynch got a dental exam, a flu shot, a free haircut, a medical checkup, submitted information for an identification card and picked up materials that will hopefully lead to a job. He even topped it all off with a massage.

Not a bad morning for a recovering meth addict who said he is currently living at a recovery center.

Lynch, 38, took advantage of the 6th annual “Project Homeless Connect,” a one-day resource fair aimed at providing the homeless with a wide range of immediate and longterm services. More than 940 people showed up for the event at San Diego Community Concourse’s Golden Hall, 43 percent more than last year. Some people arrived more than four hours before the doors opened.

Richard Gierens, who has been homeless for 14 years, was hoping to find a way to get housing at Homeless Connect and was waiting to get in early Wednesday morning. The smoke near him is from a cigarette he makes ...
— John Gastaldo / The San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma

Tiffany Lambertus, right, and her mother Candy Lambertus searched the stacks of clothing at Homeless Connect in Golden Hall. The two have been homeless for five years.
— John Gastaldo / The San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma

Norman Jones, left, who moved to San Diego from Baltimore, MD a year ago, reacted when licensed vocational nursing student Olivia Cook gave him a flu shot at the event.
— John Gastaldo / The San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma

Arthur Davis who has been homeless for a few months looked at his image in a mirror held by hair cutter Anthony Roccoforte an instructor at Associated Barber College.
— John Gastaldo / The San Diego Union-Tribune/Zuma

The longest line formed outside the makeshift barber shop. More than 500 people took advantage of the free haircuts.

“I think they should run events like this for the homeless more often,” Lynch said. “Maybe it would clean up the streets of San Diego a little better.”

Project Homeless Connect was organized by the San Diego Housing Commission in partnership with Family Health Centers of San Diego, St. Vincent de Paul Village and the Interfaith Shelter Network. The event also drew more than 200 volunteers and 65 service providers.

The goal of the event was to provide the homeless with basic life essentials as well as put them in contact with organizations that can help them in the long term.

In addition to medical care and haircuts, participants also had access to things like housing referrals, substance abuse services, veterans information, counseling, mental health information and public benefits assistance. An entire corner of the theater’s auditorium was set aside for free clothing that had been donated, and volunteers around the stage area passed out free food.

The city donated the space, and this was the second straight year in which the San Diego Housing Commission served as lead organizer.

“The need is certainly there,” Housing Commission President and CEO Rick Gentry said. “The thing that makes me feel particularly good is the generosity of San Diegans who are helping. We’ve been requesting donations since Thanksgiving, and we’ve received a wonderful response.”